There is a time and a way for everything, although man’s trouble lies heavy on him. (Ecclesiastes 8:6. ESV.) The Lord's thoughts and ways are not that of man. His word does not return empty, but accomplishes His purpose. (Isaiah 55:8, 10-11. ESV.) For His glory.

This blog is for encouragement not teaching or leadership (1 Timothy 2:12-15).

Thursday, May 16, 2013

God of the Desperate

There was a season of my life when I just wanted someone to give me "the" solution...to tell me what I should do --- the correct response --- but I did not want the answer. Does that make sense? Have you ever been standing at a crossroads and you KNOW you want to glorify God and do the "right" thing but you just are not sure what that is and you really desire a person to look you in the eye and say, "The best outcome will be [this] if you just take that leap of faith, trust in God, and do [this]." And it all works out EXACTLY as the wise individual stated it would?

But there is that fear, that dread, that the right thing to do is not what you want to do. Maybe it means turning in a peer for shoplifting, standing up against a bully or peer pressure, reporting child abuse, or telling a loved one, "I cannot continue enabling you to sin." (Whatever that includes, whether it's giving him/her money with the knowledge it is being spent on an illegal drugs, alcohol, or gambling habit instead of bills that need to be paid, or repeatedly "forgiving" a cheating spouse his/her unceasing offenses, or showing grace to a friend or family member that steadily lies, cheats, and/or steals relentlessly, etc.)

When David (a man after God's own heart) committed adultery and then murder (to try and cover it up), God sent Nathan to confront David regarding his grossly unacceptable behavior.

And the Lord sent Nathan to David. He came to him and said to him, "There were two men in a certain city, the one rich and the other poor. The rich man had very many flocks and herds, but the poor man had nothing but one little ewe lamb, which he had bought. And he brought it up, and it grew up with him and with his children. It used to eat of his morsel and drink from his cup and lie in his arms, and it was like a daughter to him. Now there came a traveler to the rich man, and he was unwilling to take one of his own flock or herd to prepare for the guest who had come to him, but he took the poor man's lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to him." Then David's anger was greatly kindled against the man, and he said to Nathan, "As the Lord lives, the man who has done this deserves to die, and he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity."

Nathan said to David, "You are the man! Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, 'I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you out of the hand of Saul.... Why have you despised the word of the Lord, to do what is evil in his sight? You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and have taken his wife to be your wife and have killed him with the sword of the Ammonites.... Thus says the Lord, 'Behold, I will raise up evil against you out of your own house. And I will take your wives before your eyes and give them to your neighbor, and he shall lie with your wives in the sight of this sun. For you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel and before the sun.'" David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against the Lord." And Nathan said to David, "The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die. Nevertheless, because by this deed you have utterly scorned the Lord, the child who is born to you shall die." (2 Samuel 12:1-7, 9, 11-14 ESV)

What a message to have to deliver! Yes, being Nathan is a very difficult, utterly challenging task. Yet, there are times God calls us to do just that. And He is faithful to us when we put all that we believe, in Him, go forth, and be Nathan. NOT judgmental! There is a difference! But, out of love, with a humble heart (not one dripping with pride), showing grace and kneeling before the throne of God...being the voice of wisdom the one, who is desperate for truth, needs to hear!